Welcome to My Website
I am currently an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology in the Department of Social Sciences at Michigan Technological University. Our department is also home to the Industrial Heritage and Archaeology Program, an interdisciplinary program that examines industrial heritage from the perspective of archaeology, anthropology, history, historical preservation, and heritage management. I am an anthropological archaeologist who uses a variety of Social Science methodologies and theoretical frameworks to study historical and contemporary issues related to the development of the Modern world.
My research has ranged from work on the heritage and historical context of contemporary bioenergy production in Latin America; to impacts of sugar haciendas in eighteenth and nineteenth century Yucatan; to twentieth century sugar production and industrial heritage in the company town of Central Aguirre, Puerto Rico; to hard rock mining in the Great Lakes region and the American West, including copper in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan and gold in the Cripple Creek Mining District of Colorado; to iron production and casting at the West Point Foundry site of Cold Spring, New York; to the archaeology and history of a World War II era prisoner of war camp in Texas.
Please take a few minutes to look over the pages of this website to learn more about my research interests and scholarship, my current research projects, and my teaching activities.
— Sam R. Sweitz
If you have the chance please take a look at my book, On the Periphery of the Periphery, detailing the research I conducted at Hacienda Tabi in Yucatan is now in print as part of the Contributions to Global Historical Archaeology series edited by Charles Orser, Jr., published by Springer.
Industrial Heritage on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan: The Qunicy Mine #2 shaft-rock house and hoist engine house awash in a sea of Fall foliage on the Keweenaw Peninsula.